WASHINGTON – The Justice Department sought Friday to dampen expectations for the completion of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, saying the report is not expected next week.

Speculation was rampant about what the report might contain and what Attorney General William Barr would release publicly in the wake of a CNN report that Mueller could finish as early as next week.

A senior Justice Department official said Friday that such reports are incorrect.

The incident marked a rare public comment about the nearly two-year investigation. In January, Mueller spokesman Peter Carr disputed a Buzzfeed report that President Donald Trump had ordered his former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress.

Cohen is scheduled to testify next week before three congressional committees, with a public hearing Wednesday before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. He reports to prison May 6.

There is no deadline for Mueller to complete his work, and several cases are pending.

Newspaper front pages from around the nation are on display at the Newseum Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Washington. Special counsel Robert Mueller closed his long and contentious Russia investigation with no new charges, ending the probe that has cast a dark shadow over Donald Trump's presidency. Alex Brandon, AP

Special Counsel Robert Mueller arrives at his office on March 21, 2019 in Washington DC. It is expected that Mueller will soon complete his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and release his report. Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Mueller leaves after briefing members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election on Capitol Hill on June 21, 2017. Michael Reynolds, European Pressphoto Agency

Mueller arrives for a court hearing at the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Francisco on April 21, 2016. He had been overseeing settlement talks with Volkswagen, the U.S. government and private lawyers for the automaker to buy back some of the nearly 600,000 diesel cars that cheat on emissions tests. Jeff Chiu, AP